Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-12-08

you begin to import freely from Europe,
you drive our own wOrkmen from me-
chanical and manufacturing pursuits. In
the same proportion they become tillers of
the soil, increasing steadily the agricultural
product, and decreasing steadily the large
home demand, which is constantly enlarg-
ing as home manufactures enlarge That,
of course, works great injury to the farmer
--glutting the market with his products,
and tending continually to lower prices"
But the foreign demand for farm pro-
ducts would be increased in like ratio,
would it mott"
Even suppose it WERE" said Blaine,
how do you know the source from which
it will be supplied? The tendency in
Russia tc day, and i'll the Asiatic posses.
sions of England is toward large increase
OF the grain supply. Grain is being raised
by the cheapest possible labor. Manufact.
uring countries will buy their breadstuffs
where they can get them cheapest, and the
enlarging of the home market for the
American farmer being checked he would
search in vain for one of the same value
His foreign sales are already checked by
great competition abroad. There never
was time when the increase of a large
home market was so valuable to him. The
hest proof is that
OUR FARMERS ARE PROSPEROUS
According to their nearnessi to manufacfur-
ing centers, and a protective tariff tends
to spread manufactures In Ohio and In
diana, for example, though not classed as
manufacturing States, the annual value of
manufactured fabrics is more than the agri-
cultural products"
But those holding the Presidents
views, remarked the reporter, are always
70
under the tariff of 1885,
THAT tariff did not involve one distinc-
tive point recommended by the President
namely, the retaining of direct internal
taxes, in order to abolish indirect taxes lev
led on foreign fabrics. But the country
had peculiar advantages under it, bv the
Crlmean war involving England, France
and Russia, and largely impairing their
trade. And all these incidents(or accidents.
II you choose) were immensely stimulat.
ing to trade in the United States.
regardless of the nature of our
tariff, but mark the end of this European
experience with the tariff of 1916, which
for time gave an illusiory and deceptive
show of prosperity. Its enactment was i'm
mediately followed by the Mexican war.
Then, IN 1S4S, by great commissions in
Europe; then, in 1919, and succeeding
years, by the enormous gold yield in Cali
lorna. The Powers made peace in
1896, and at the same time the output of
gold in California fell off. Immediately
the financial panic of 1857 came on the
country with disastrous force. Though we
have in these years mined a vast amount
OF gold in California, every bank in New
York was compelled to suspend specie paw
ment.
WHERE OUR GOLD WENT.
"Four hundred millions in gold had been
carried out of the country in eight wears 10
pay for foreign goods that should have been
manufactured at home, and we had wears
of depression and distress as atonement for
our folly.
1T is remarkable that President Polk
recommended the tariff of 1876 on pre-
cisely the same ground that Cleveland
recommends similar enactment now
namely, that surplus in the Treasury was
menacing the prosperity of the country"
HISTORY is REPEATING ITSELF.
By the way" Blaine added, after me.
ments reflection, 81 it is worthy of notice
that Polk, on emptying the Treasury by a
free trade tariff, Immediately rushed into
debt by borrowing $3.50, 100000 for the
Mexican war. | trust that nothing NAV
occur TO repeat so disastrous sequel to the
policy recommended by Cleveland, but the
uniform fate, for fifty years past, of the
Democratic party has been that when it
goes out OF power it always leave an empty
Treasury, and when it returns to power it
always finds full Treasury"
Then, do you mean to imply that there
should be no reduction OF National rev
enuts?n
mo. What I have said implies the
I =
repeal of the tobacco tax, and would make
here and there some changes in the tariff
so as not to reduce protection, but to wisely
foster it"
81 mean,' said Blaine, THAT no great
system of revenue like our tariff can
operate with efficiency and equity, un-
less the changes of the trade be closely
watched and the law promptly adapted to
those changes. But | would make no
changes that should impair the char
acter of the whole body of the
tariff laws. -Four years ago in the
Act of 1888, we made change of the char
acter l have tried to indicate. If such
changes were made, and the fortifying of
our sea coast then undertaken at very
moderate annual outlay, no surplus would
be found after that already accumulated
had been disposed of.
The outlay of money on Notifications,
while doing great service to the country,
would give good work to many men,"
But, what about the existing surplus ?'
THE abstract of the message l have
seen," replied Mr.. Blaine, contains no
reference to that point. | therefore make
no comment, further than to indorse Fred.
Grants remarks-that surplus is always
easier to handle than deficit'r
The reporter repeated the question
whether the Presidents recommendation
would not, if adopted, give us advantage
of large increase in exports.
Il only repeat" answered Blaine, sit
would vastly enlarge our imports, while
the only exports it would seriously increase
would be our gold and silver That would
flow out bountifully, just as it did under
the tariff of 1876"
But don't you think it important to in
crease our export trade?"
Undoubtedly, but it is vastly more i'm
portant not to lose our own great market
for our own people in vain effort to reach
the impossible. 1t is not our foreign trade
that has caused the wonderful growth of
the republic; it is the vast domestic trade
between thirty-eight States and eight
Territories, with their population of
perhaps 100000 people. The whole
amount of our export and import
trade together has never, | think.
reached 81, 900 100000 in any one year.
Our interior home trade on 10000 miles of
railway; along 5000 miles of ocean coast ;
over five great lakes, and along 10000 miles
of navigable rivers, reaches the enormous
annual aggregate of more than $40 900 600,
and perhaps this year $50, ,000, 900.
"It is into this illimitable trade, even
now in its infancy, and destined to attain a
magnitude not dreamed of twenty years
ago, that the Europeans are struggling TO
enter.
1T Is THE HERITAGE OF THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE,
Of their children and of their children s
children. 1t gives absolutely free trade
over territory nearly as large as Europe,
and the profit is all our own. The genuine
free trader appears unable to see or COM
prehend that this continental trade-not
our exchanges with Europe-is the great
source of our prosperity. Cleveland now
plainly proposes the policy that will admit
Europe to share of this trade"
But you are in favor of extending our
foreign trade, are you not ?"
Certainly am, in all practical and ad-
vantageous ways, but not on the principle
of free trade, by which we shall be con-
stantly exchanging a dollar for dime.
Moreover, the foreign trade is often very